PROLOGUE ♔ if it keeps on raining, levees gonna break

[behindcloseddoors]

♬ When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin

WHO || David Levin, ??
WHAT || David arrives through the Veil
WHERE || The shores of Lake Michigan, USA
WHEN || Monday evening, March 11th
HOW || Actionspam

[ One moment, it's the heat of battle, the clang of metal against metal, and sometimes the crack of it as it severs bone and sinew. And then there's a thin line of fog, whirling around his ankles, barely noticeable amid so much distraction. But it creeps up, higher and higher, until he can't see his sword when he extends it in front of him, let alone the faces that surround him. The battlefield winks out of existence into a white wall, and suddenly the ground beneath his feet seems to as well, as it turns into liquid, and then there's a hard smack as he feels himself splash ass-backward into a pool of water that doesn't seem to have a bottom. It fills his lungs, eats away at the air that wasn't already knocked out of him.

Roll a Fortitude check to make sure he doesn't pass out (D20 + his fort save) If he makes a 13 or higher, he can maintain consciousness.

Probably a good idea to roll a Swim check too... (D20 + swim skill total) ]

Comments

[telekinection]

Christos. [ her lips set in a thin warning line as she steps in front of him towards David. ] I'm afraid this is some pretty bad timing, but I promise you, we're here to help, and we can explain where you and what's happened to you. After we deal with something upstairs.

[generaldavideus]

The weird wizard guy?

[just hazarding a guess. Then he makes a face.]

The guy is pretty oblivious.

[telekinect]

[ she affixes him with an interested look of thinly veiled surprise ] You saw him?

[generaldavideus]

[the look on David's face says "duh."]

It looks like Charybdis rising out there. I was looking for people.

[following his logic?]

[telekinect]

Well, if you did get away that easily, I'd say we'd better strike while the iron's hot.

You might want to stay in the light house until it's over. I don't think it's going to get any prettier outside until then.

[generaldavideus]

[there's a brief moment where David considers offering to come with, but a) he doesn't know these people and b) he's not going to abandon the hostage -- or "victim" as they said -- that he rescued. So he just nods.]

Got it. I'll stay put.

[they can handle magic guy on their own. Not his problem.]

[everyredcent]

[ christos heads back to the steps, apparently already done with david's life ] Good. Let's get this over with. [ tia offers david one small encouraging smile over her shoulder and then up they go. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David waits quietly for the footsteps to fade up the stairs, before turning back to the girl in the barrel. He figures he can wait and see if these "good guys" are actually good guys. He wants to try and keep her protected as long as possible.]

How're you doing in there?

[behindcloseddoors]

[

she finally pushes the lid aside and pokes her head out tentatively, looking around as if expecting the others to re-emerge at any moment ]

Who were they?

[generaldavideus]

No idea. But we'll figure out if they're good guys or bad guys soon enough.

[there's a pause]

Do you know what wizard guy took you for?

[based on the set up and his own experience his first thought is human sacrifice, but he's not going to say it out loud.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ she's shivering, her clothes clinging to her just as his are ]

H-he kept babbling on about the "Queen of the Depths" a-and appeasing the gods. I don't know, he's fucking nuts.

[generaldavideus]

[David would offer her something, but since he's as soaked it probably wouldn't help. But he's smart enough to know that "Queen of the Depths" + whirlpool = sea monster. It's just a matter of what kind.

But, if he had the sacrifice, then maybe they won't have a sea monster problem.]

I don't disagree with you there.

[behindcloseddoors]

Are they gonna kill him? [ it's hard to say how she feels about that. although not surprising, probably, if she's on board the murder train ]

[generaldavideus]

[He shrugs.]

Don't know. It depends on if they need him for something.

[back home, it was pretty much kill, but David had been known to take people back if he needed information from them.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ quietly: ] What if he kills them? [ she looks nervously, obviously afraid he's going to charge down the stairs at any moment ]

[generaldavideus]

[Well, David's answer to that is fairly simple.]

Then I'll kill him.

[behindcloseddoors]

[

she looks a little unconvinced, dude. ]

He knows magic. He'll probably just ... Force choke you or something.

[generaldavideus]

He's not the first magic user I've gone up against. I think I'll be able to handle it.

[David can be a little stupid sometimes.]

[behindcloseddoors]

For both our sakes, I hope you're right. [ she squishes back down in the barrel a bit ]

[generaldavideus]

[David shrugs at that, before turning back towards the stairs. He moves a little bit ahead of the barrel, putting some distance between the girl and himself so that if something comes down the stairs, or in the door, he can stop it before it gets to her.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ there's a sudden calamitous amount of noise upstairs - it sounds like electricity and things breaking and the clank of steel, along with multiple yells and shouts ]

[generaldavideus]

[David reaches for his sword, drawing it and ready in case something actually comes down those stairs. He keeps himself planted firmly in the middle of the walkway, not wanting to give too much on either side.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ welp, that is one strategy. except it's not any bad guy who comes charging down the stairs, but a sudden rushing noise above... and then abruptly a huge deluge of water splashes down the stairs. a reflex save of 15 or above means that he can avoid being hit altogether by holding his ground or whatnot, and if he fails that a Balance skill check of 14 or higher can keep from sliding off the stairs and into the quickly forming pool below... ]

[generaldavideus]

[Yeah, well, David isn't known for his smart life choices. There's a mental litany of curses that come to mind as the water knocks him off his feet (reflex save: 9).

He scrambles to try and catch hold of something, even trying to use his sword to catch of hold of something, but that doesn't work out in his favor either (balance check: 12).]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ SPLOOSH. had enough of falling in the water yet today, david? it'll take a swim check of 10+ to keep from drowning in the swirling pool below... and a spot check of 12+ will notice the barrel where the girl was stowed floating up from the floor below... the lid jiggling as she attempts to push it off against the pressure of the water outside ]